New York City incoming Mayor, Eric Adams (D), on Monday, announced his Team of Deputy Mayors, with a slew of Appointments that reinforce the Power of Women in New York City Politics.
Deputy mayors serve as the Mayor’s Generals, managing different Agencies across City Government. The Mayor determines how Detailed their Portfolio is and how much Autonomy they have.
Adams introduced an All-Female Team to Lead his Administration:
Lorraine Grillo was named First Deputy Mayor.
Grillo, former Head of the Schools Construction Authority (SCA), was Appointed, in February, by Mayor Bill de Blasio (D), to be the City’s Covid-19 Recovery Czar. A longtime City Bureaucrat, She has experience in Building Schools and Managing large-scale Capital Projects, which could serve her well as First Deputy Mayor. The Office traditionally Manages the Push-and-Pull between the Mayor’s Policy Priorities, and Budgeting Realities.
“What she did in terms of strategic initatives at the SCA, and improving capital project scoring and contracting, is important experience,” said Andrew Rein, President of the Citizens Budget Commission.
Lou Riccio, former Commisioner of the City Department of Transportation, underscored the Importance of Grillo’s New Role as Budget Point Person. “As first deputy mayor, she runs the whole operation of government, and there are always shocks and surprises no matter how on top of things you may be,” Riccio said. “At the same time, she’s handled major responsibilities and is fully capable of that.”
Meera Joshi was named Deputy Mayor for Operations.
Joshi, previously Led the City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC), under de Blasio from 2014 to 2019, and played a Significant Role in Overseeing the Taxi Medallion Crisis. Joshi is considered an Experienced Administrator. Meera is very Talented and was extremely Effective, and Insightful, while at the TLC, Scale is going to be the Big Issue, for her, because she’ll be in Charge of Operations, and that will be a Giant Leap from anything she’s previously been faced with.
Maria Torres-Springer was named Deputy Mayor for Economic and Workforce Development.
Torres-Springer is Vice President of U.S. Programs at the Ford Foundation, the Second-Largest Private Foundation in the World, and She has deep ties to City Government. She served as Commissioner of the City’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development, as CEO of the Economic Development Corp., and as Commissioner of the Department of Small Business Services.
It’s almost like she’s getting her old job back. She’s been a presence in that Issue Silo for Decades now, and she knows the Bureaucratic Framework of both the de Blasio and Bloomberg Administrations.
Anne Williams-Isom was named Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services.
Williams-Isom is a Nonprofit Executive who serves as Child Welfare Studies Chairwoman at the Fordham University Graduate School of Social Services. She is the current Chief Executive of the Harlem Children’s Zone, an Anti-Poverty Initiative.
Williams-Isom is a bit of a Mystery to City Experts, as She has been out of City Government since 2009. She previously spent 13 years working in the City’s Administration for Children’s Services, where she rose to the Rank of Deputy Commissioner.
Sheena Wright was named Deputy Mayor of Strategic Initiatives.
Wright, is the Chairwoman of Adams’ Transition Team. She is President and CEO of the United Way of New York City, a Nonprofit Devoted to helping Low-Income People. She previously served as President and CEO of the Abyssinnian Development Corp. in Harlem. Her Partner, David Banks, is Adams’ New Schools Chancellor.
“Sheena Wright has a long history of doing activities that are important to the city in a variety of areas,” Rein said. “For the most part, Adams is picking people who are experienced and have diverse experiences.”
“It really all depends on how much authority [Adams] gives the deputy mayors and whether or not [they have] the ability to lead,” said Charles Moerdler, former Buildings Commissioner under Mayor John Lindsay. “When you have the authority to do your job and you try and are able to do it, then it’s great.”
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
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